


you were there

by adularescence (cocomoraine)



Series: Files from the Blue House [1]
Category: 60일 지정생존자 | Designated Survivor: 60 Days (TV 2019)
Genre: Assassination Attempt(s), Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Hurt/Comfort, If You Squint - Freeform, Missing Scene, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, basically park soo kyo needs a hug, or hugs, unbetaed because I don't want to be a bother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28259280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cocomoraine/pseuds/adularescence
Summary: "Kid, this is President Yang's first event, he would easily forget where to stand, and you're not doing the Blue House a favor by saving up on duct tape."Park Soo Kyo's world shatters. For the second time.
Series: Files from the Blue House [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070204
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	you were there

**Author's Note:**

> Korean is not my first language, and this is also my first foray into writing a fic for a kdrama series, hahahahahaha omg, so if there are any mistakes, feel free to point out so. Please be kind. Unbetaed because I don't want to be a bother.
> 
> Also, Park Soo Kyo need hugs, please give him a hug.

Sometimes, Park Soo Kyo reminds himself, he wouldn't have been in the Blue House this long, if he wasn't good enough.

He experienced multiple presidents in his lifetime, something that is unusual especially considering how this shift in power happens too fast, he still wasn't able to catch his breath, a new person will occupy the highest seat of power in Korea. 

President Yang Jin-man has his ideals. He will always remember him as a man who stood for his ideals, despite of the growing distrust and uncertainties the people has for him. He was his first boss, he may not have served closely for the past president as he done for Acting President Park Mu-Jin, but he will always hold a special place in Park Soo Kyo's heart. Also his mentor, he taught everything he knows now.

And then, when he thought things wouldn't spiral out of control, President Park got shot. 

It all happened so fast. 

The last thing on his mind was the possibility he might also get hurt, but he immediately rushed to Park's side, and tried to protect him.

_Protect him from what, he already got shot, genius._

He saw the cracked glass on his spectacles, gently, he removed them, staining his cuffs in the process. Mujin's eyes were glassy but were focused on him. 

He saw Mujin's lips moving, but he can't make out the sound over the screams and people scrambling out of the venue, the security group forming a tight circle around them, Assemblyman Oh Yeong-seok at the other side, with a bloodied suit, looking shocked, it was the first time Park Soo Kyo seen him so out of his element. 

A bloody hand reaches out for him. He snapped back to President Park.

_Kid, this is President Yang's first event, he would easily forget where to stand, and you're not doing the Blue House a favor by saving up on duct tape_. 

Park Soo Kyo's world shatters. For the second time.

Still, the Acting President has the audacity to smile at him and tell him he's going to be fine.

_Fine? You're bleeding out, and you're fine?!_

It was the first time, Park Soo Kyo felt tears prickling his eyes. It was the first since he cried when the same man bleeding in front of him asked about the people who wouldn't be returning to their cubicles anytime soon. 

***

"He's lucky he has a protocol administrator like you by his side."

It was embarrassing, but he finally let the tears fall. In front of Secretary Han.

If there's one man who would understand, who's been in two incidents and threats to a president's life, it's Secretary Han. Besides, Secretary Cha would be busy trying to make sure the government stands still, despite the fact that it's Acting President got shot. And would be undergoing a complicated surgery. 

Park Soo Kyo wept as Secretary Han walks away, it was much better, than letting him stand in front of him, witnessing his weakness. Some people may judge him that if easily shed tears, he is not fit to work in the government. 

But witnessing a terror bombing, a massacre of innocent civilians, and an attempted assassination, could easily destabilise any person, for everything that happened since the bombing was unprecedented. 

Secretary Han didn't judge him. He knows. Whatever that happens to them and to the people around them would always be out of the books.

It's not like Park Soo Kyo had time to even process that President Yang Jin-man was dead, his mentor too, and now, Park Mu-Jin is fighting for his life. 

Okay, maybe his emotions is getting the better of him. 

_President Park, will be okay._

_President Park will be okay._

He was so busy muttering the mantra, that he didn't notice, he collided with another man, for the second time that day, until warm hands gripped his shoulders. 

"Sookyo."

The accent will always get him, Park would always pick his voice amongst the crowd because no matter how he speaks most of the time in South Korean accent, the undertones of where he came from would always be there. 

Despite his head being all over the place, Sookyo internally smiled. He wonders if President Park also noticed this about him. 

"Sorry, uh, Namwook. I'll just get his glasses fixed."

"Sookyo, wait."

Sookyo turned to Namwook. The man was looking at him, concerned, but unlike Secretary Han, he is not masking it over a poker face. 

_Makes you wonder how he handles being the spokesperson of the Blue House._

_He handles it very well._

_Yes. He does._

"Are you okay?"

Sookyo looked at Namwook. There's a million things he could say, he could trust him. Namwook would understand if he also break down right now. Namwook was also there when the National Assembly collapsed. When President Park has to make difficult choices. When President Park was hit with the bullet. 

"Yes. I'm fine. I'll contact Ms. Yun as President Park wants to speak with her before he goes to surgery. Also, his glasses need to be fixed, it broke during the commotion, I'll contact the-"

"Sookyo."

"What?"

Namwook was looking at him, then smiled a little.

"I asked you if you're okay, yet, 90% of what you said was about President Park."

"Well, I'm his protocol administrator, I have to make sure he's okay, also you have to make sure he's okay, we're all trying aren't we?"

"Sookyo, breathe."

"No, I can't."

Namwook frowned. "Why?"

Sookyo looked at him, simmering anger and frustration boiling at the surface. He's not angry at Namwook, he soon realized that he wants to be anywhere else than be here being scrutinized by Kim Nam-Wook. 

There are so many things they should be doing, they shouldn't be loitering in this hallway asking how the other is doing, there's a lot to be done-

"Because I don't want to cry again in front of you. That was embarrassing the first time around, and it's not like President Park is dying."

Namwook's eyebrows raised. He opened his mouth to say something, but Sookyo beat him to it."

"And I know he's going to be okay, someone is taking over his duties at the Blue House, so we should all probably do what we should all be doing because there's a new acting president we will be serving once President Park enters surgery, and I really need to get this glasses fixed because he'll need it when he wakes up-"

Namwook grasped his arms. Sookyo immediately stopped talking.

"Sookyo. You're not okay."

Sookyo was ready to cry again. Namwook took a deep breath, and lowered his voice, stepping into Sookyo's personal space.

"I'm not okay. Secretary Han is not okay. Ms. Jeong is not okay. We're all not okay. Because President Park got shot. But he will be okay because he'll survive this. You want to know why? Because he has always been a survivor. And so are you."

Sookyo bit his lip, trying to hold back the sob, Namwook smiled at him, a gentle one.

"We'll get through this, one step at a time. But it's okay to admit that we are not okay, even for now, look, you still got bloodstains at your cuffs, and at your neck."

Namwook touched his cuffs, and his left hand grazed the neckline of his dress shirt, his warm hand ghosting his neck, looking at the stains. Sookyo swallowed. 

Namwook looked at him again, then smiled, his eyes returning to his face. 

"I'm here, Sookyo. You don't have to do this alone."

And then, slowly, Namwook enveloped him in his arms. Sookyo can smell the sun, Namwook's aftershave and cologne, also, the distinct smell of the Blue House he has always known since he stepped foot inside the building. 

He deeply inhaled the scent, and let his arms return the hug. 

He wept for the third time since the bombing. He wept for the lost lives, for his mentor, for President Jin-man, for President Park. The only difference this time is that, he didn't wept alone, standing in a deserted hallway. He wept as Namwook rubbed circles on his back, his soothing cadence murmuring words or jokes in his ear. Sookyo laughed, but the tears kept falling.

He buried his head on Namwook's shoulder. He felt his arms tightening around the press secretary. He felt the other man's arms enveloping him further. 

He took a deep breath.

Even for a short while, he felt at _home_. At peace. Something he hasn't felt since he walked away from the National Assembly building, only to witness it exploding moments after. 

***

It was a solid three minutes. Sookyo didn't know how he managed to still count it. Then, they slowly separated. He felt oddly cold, even if the weather outside was warm. 

"Namwook."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Anytime. I give awesome hugs you know. People should hug me more often. Rather than walking away from me or shouting orders."

Sookyo looked at him, then punched his shoulder. "Sure. You're just bitter because Ms. Jeong wouldn't ask free hugs from you."

Namwook shrugged a shoulder. "I don't just give awesome hugs. I'm also awesome at other things."

"Oh?"

"You should've hugged me longer, to find it out. You're one of the few people in this level who can found out what I'm good at other than hugging."

Sookyo smiled, then started walking. "I'm walking away, Namwook."

"Don't you want to find out, Sookyo?"

"No, thank you!"

Sookyo walked away, a big smile on his face, but before turning to the right at the end of the hallway, he looked at Namwook.

"You're a _great_ hugger, Namwook."

He felt a little weight off his shoulders as he continued walking away. 

***

Namwook watched Sookyo retreating, then smiled at the ground. 

"I'm a great hugger. Mhm. That's nice."

He soon started looking for Secretary Mina. Maybe he can find her with Ms. Jeong. That would be good though. 

***

**Author's Note:**

> This drama is so underrated. People need to know more about Designated Survivor: 60 Days. Honestly.
> 
> This would be the first entry into my trash pile of fics depicting the staff of BH and others, some may be canon compliant, others may stretch as canon-divergent. 
> 
> Say hello to me at tumblr: @cocomoraine, if you want to shout abuse, or have any requests!
> 
> Till then, paalam! 🌻  
> Also, Happy Holidays! 🎄


End file.
